OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL 125 



Special Hospitals and Physical Reconstruction to organize 

 psychological service for the reeducation of disabled soldiers. 



"At his request W. C. Bagley arranged a conference on 

 psychological problems of reconstruction, under the auspices 

 of the National Research Council. The conference, which 

 was held March 11 to 16, was attended by W. C. Bagley, J. 

 W. Baird, B. T. Baldwin, Mabel R. Fernald, S. I. Franz, F. 

 N. Freeman, M. E. Haggerty, E. K. Strong, Jr., R. M. Yerkes, 

 and Helen T. Woolley. 



"To this conference Major Haggerty presented a mem- 

 orandum on psychological problems in the reeducation of dis- 

 abled men. The principal problems designated were: {a) 

 the problem of mental attitude; {h) the problem of functional 

 reeducation; (c) problems Involving social, vocational, edu- 

 cational adjustment; and {d) general problems of learning in- 

 volved in educational work for disabled men. These groups 

 of problems were assigned to subcommittees, with the under- 

 standing that reports should be submitted promptly. The 

 reports proved valuable for the organization and develop- 

 ment of psychological work in reconstruction. 



"For further discussion of the problems of mental attitude 

 a second conference was called by Chairman Bagley at the 

 National Research Council April 8 to 11. The members of 

 the conference were W. C. Bagley, J. W. Baird, Ida Cannon, 

 B. T. Baldwin, T. H. Haines, M. E. Haggerty, E. G. Brackett, 

 and Kendall Emerson. 



"As a result of these two conferences a program was for- 

 mulated and presented to the Surgeon General. This led 

 directly to the authorization by the Surgeon General of the 

 assignment of a psychologist to the Walter Reed General 

 Hospital. Major B. T. Baldwin reported for duty at that 

 hospital April 17, 1918. 



"This was the beginning of psychological service in mili- 

 tary hospitals. In the course of work at Walter Reed and 

 other General and Base Hospitals where psychologists have 

 since been assigned, the original program formulated in the 

 conferences has been considerably altered. One of the most 

 important developments is the organization of the psycho- 



